Amusement apparatus.



B. A. KARB.. AMUSEMBNT APPARATUS.

APrLIoATIloN' FILED JU^LY zo. 1909. 952,673.

Patented Mar. 22, 1910.

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B.; A. KARR; AMUSEMBNT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1909. 952,673., Patented Mar.22,191o.

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-- sans BURTON A. KARR, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO AERO PLUNGE CO., OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON.

AlVIUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 1910.

Application filed July 20, 1909. Serial No. 508,679.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BURTON A. KARR, a citizen of the United States of America, and aresident of the city of Seattle, in the county of King and State of ltfashingtoli, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus of the above type, having more particular reference to that type wherein a means of conveyance is supported on a suitable track for travel by gravity, and the primary object thereof resides in the provision of an inclined track with means for controlling the inclination thereof, whereby a carriage supported on said track can be caused to travel by gravity in relatively opposite directions.

A further object resides in the constructions and arrangements of parts by which the carriage in its travel traverses a course laid partly above and partly in a body of water, to the end that the carriage after its aerial flight strikes or takes a plunge into the water and floats thereon.

Further objects will be set forth as my description progresses and those features of construction, arrangements and combinations of parts upon which I desire protection, succinctly defined in my annexed claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a perspective thereof, on enlarged scale, with parts broken away. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the guide member for the track controlling mechanism, removed from its tower. Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken through the carriage, and Fig. 6 is a transverse section, on enlarged scale, taken through the upper portion of the carriage.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a flexible track 1, consisting of two cables arranged one above the other, which extends between suitably spaced towers 2 and 3, of any desired construction. Tower 2 is the shorter and has one end of track 1, secured to a cross member 2 thereof. The other end of track 1 is secured to a head 4 supported on tower 3 for sliding to points above and below the point of connection of track 1 with tower 2, by which arrangement upon proper sliding of head 4, said track can be inclined in relatively opposite directions. As now considered, head 4 is provided withl guide rollers 5 engaging in vertical ways G of a hollow upright 7 of tower 3.

For controlling and adjusting head 4, I employ the novel mechanism now to be described. Reference numeral 8 indicates a counter-weight slidably engaged in vertical guides 8 of upright 7 and connected by cables 9 and 9a with head 4, the former passing over suitable idler sheaves 10, provided on the upper portion of upright 7, and the latter over pulleys 11 provided on the drive shaft 12 of reversible motor 13 of any suitable type.

Reference numeral 14 indicates the carriage, the same comprising a frame 15 from which is suspended by depending arms 16, the body part 17 which is of water tight construction and preferably in the form of a boat. Frame 15 comprises spaced side members between which are journaled upper and lower bearing rollers, as 18, for engagement with the respective cables of the track, as will be readily understood by reference. to Fig.

o render the aerial travel of the carriage more realistic as a Hight, I hinge ou the outer' sides of frame 15, what I term wings, as 19, which are caused to swing vertically by actuators Q0, supported for sliding in guides 21 of said frame and having angularly disposed lower end portions engaging the under faces of said wings.

Actuators :20 are provided on their upper end portions with rollers 22 engaging on eccentrics Q3, fixed to the side faces of a rotatable member or wheel Q4 journaled on frame 15 between the rollers 1S and having rolling engagement with track 1.

Adjacent the fixed end of track 1, I provide a flexible buffer means Q5 of novel construction, the same extending across the track and being yieldingly supported by flexible hangers Q6 passing over guide sheaves 27 and being provided with weights 28 which normally hold buffer 25 taut- As now considered, buffer 25 and flexible hangers 9.6 are formed by a single length of rope. rIhis construction, however', is susceptible of modification within the spirit of my invention.

A body of water Q9, which may be either natural or artificial in its formation, act-s in the capacity of a buffer for the carriage on its return trip, the body part 17 of carriage 14 striking the water with force and floating to a suitable platform or wharf 30.

In the operation, assuming that the carriage 14 is arranged on platform or wharf 30 (see Fig. 1) motor 13 is operated to first elevate head 8, until track 1 assumes an inclined position as indicated in Fig. 1, thereby elevating the carriage so that it will travel by gravity to tower 2, where its movement is arrested by buffer 25. rI`he operator now reverses his motor and adjusts track l to the position indicated by broken lines in Fig. 1, whereupon the carriage travels back to the starting point, the trip ending in the carriage striking the water and this aside from acting' to retard the progress of the carriage gives to the passengers a pleasing and novel sensation.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States Vof' America, is:

1. An amusement apparatus comprising spaced towers, a flexible track supported thereby, and controlling means for raising and lowering one end' of said track to points respectively above and below the other end thereof, including a head slidably supported on said tower vto which said track is secured, va counter, balance for said head supported for vertical sliding on said last named tower, and means connected with said head for adjusting the same vertically.

2. In an alnusement apparatus, in combination with spaced towers having a body of water therebetween, a flexible track supported by said towers in an inclined position, a carriage supported on said track including a water tight body part, and means for adj usting said track to bring its high end below the other and in proximity to said body of water to permit of the body of said carriage striking the water.

3. In an amusement apparatus, in combination with spaced towers, a flexible track supported by said towers in an inclined position, a carriage supported on said track including a water tight body part, means for adjusting' said track to bring its high end below the other, thereby obtaining a relatively reverse inclination to the track, and a fluid buffer arranged to receive the body part of said carriage when said carriage reaches the lower end portion of said track when the latter is arranged in its last named position.

4. In an amusement apparatus, in combination with a flexible track and means supporting t-he saine in an inclined position, a carriage supported for travelV on said track, and a buffer for said carriage comprising a flexible member extending laterally of the lower end of said track, and flexible weighted supporting means yieldingly holding said flexible member.

5. In an amusement apparatus in combination with a track, and means support-ing the same in an inclined position, a carriage comprising a frame provided with wheels engaged on said track and a body part in the form of a boat suspended therefrom, wings hinged to said frame of the carriage, a rotatable member journaled on said frame and engaging said track, eccentrics fixed to rotate with said rotatable member, and actuators for said wings slidably supported on said frame and provided with rollers engaging on said eccentrics.

6. In an amusement apparatus, in combination with spaced towers, a flexible track supported by said towers in an inclined position, a carriage supported on said track, means for adjusting' said track kto bring its high end below the other, thereby obtain` ing a relatively reverse inclination tothe track, and a fluid buffer `arranged to be struck by the carriage during its travel on said track when said track is arranged in its last named position.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 23 day of June 1909.

BURTON A. KARR. lVitnesses:

ARLITA ADAMS, A. N. BOOTH. 

